The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
‘Hobnail boot’ hero finishes the drill
15 years and an NFL career later, Haynes earns his degree.
Verron Haynes spotted the clues.
He knows several family members are heading to his home in Buford this weekend. There has to be a party or some kind of surprise in the works to celebrate after he graduates from Georgia today.
“I’m thinking my wife is going to do something at the house,” Haynes said. “They’re trying to be a little hush-hush about it. I think they’re up to something.”
Haynes will receive his finance degree at UGA’s fall graduation, 15 years after he left campus to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He finished his career with the Bulldogs with modest numbers (737 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns) but as a folk hero, nonetheless.
Haynes is remembered for catching the game-winning touchdown pass with five seconds left to defeat Tennessee 26-24 in former coach Mark Richt’s first season in 2001, a play that sparked a call from former radio announcer Larry Munson that has become legendary in UGA lore.
“We just stepped on their face with a hobnail boot and broke their nose! We just crushed their face!”
Haynes also left two classes short of his degree. Not just any classes. The first one he needed to complete was pre-calculus, which he finished three years ago.
The second one was the logical next step: calculus.
He delayed registering for the class a few times before he finally decided to commit to the degree.
“You get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life,” Haynes said. “I kept putting it off, putting it off, and then finally, this year, I made a vow to myself, come New Year’s, that I was going ahead to pursue this. I stuck with it. I focused my mind. I cleared my schedule. That was the time I was going to use and dedicate to finalize this degree.”
He remained regimented and determined throughout the online course.
The final grades were posted last week.
Haynes saw his 87 and quickly shared the news with a text to his wife, Karrie, and their four children.
One of his boys replied: “Way to finish the drill.”
“That touched me,” Haynes said. “I sent that to coach Richt last week. I told him his words stayed with me and the evolution of it surpassed me and went onto my son. That really touched (Richt). He said that he teared up when he saw the message and he said that he’s glad and happy that his simple words are still resonating with me.”
“I am extremely proud of and happy for Verron,” Richt said in a text message this week.
Haynes played seven years in the NFL — six with the Steelers and one with the Falcons — before he retired in 2009. He said Karrie made “smart investments” with their money, which allowed them to go into business for themselves as real estate investors.
They buy homes and property to sell or rent.
“We’re fortunate enough that we don’t have to clock in every day,” Haynes said.
He had already put his nose for numbers to work, with previous jobs at both Morgan Stanley and Bank of America.
Fifteen years later, memories of Haynes’ play remain strong.
If his name is mentioned at a gathering or function, he said he’s quickly identified as the “hobnail boot guy.” He’s quick to credit quarterback David Greene, tight end Randy McMichael, other teammates and Richt, as well as Munson’s call.
“It’s quite the honor, but I would be really remiss if I didn’t mention the legendary voice of Georgia, Larry Munson,” Haynes said.